The present invention relates to a closure handle lever usable in confined environments, and more particularly to a closure handle lever used in confined environments which has a moveable portion to allow installation of the handle through confined spaces while maintaining a substantial mechanical advantage.
Vehicle doors, such as lift gates on mini-vans, have handles which actuate a release mechanism and allow access to the rear compartment of the vehicle. Such handles typically comprise a gripping portion and a catch which are actually positioned on a shaft. Movement of the gripping portion results in movement of the catch. The catch, in turn, is connected by cable or other means to the latch mechanism. The torque required by a user pulling on the gripping portion is proportional to the length which the catch extends from the shaft. As such, it is desirable to extend the catch at least a minimum distance from the shaft to alleviate force required by the user.
While this type of device does provide an adequate opening mechanism, it has drawbacks in confined spaces. More specifically, the present design of mini-van doors incorporates various structural reinforcements on the interior of the door which inhibits installation of the mechanism. As a result, manufacturers have been forced to reduce the size of the catch in order to ease the installation process. The present invention was developed in light of this drawback.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a closure handle lever which can be installed in confined areas while maintaining the desired mechanical advantage for a door user.
In accordance with the broad teachings of this invention, a closure handle lever is provided which has an advantageous construction. The closure handle lever comprises a gripping portion rotatably mounted along an axis and a catch lever rotatably mounted along this same axis. The catch lever is rotatable about the axis from a first position to a second position independent of the gripping portion. The first position provides a greater mechanical advantage for the gripping portion than the second position. The gripping portion is engaged to the catch lever such that rotation of the gripping portion about the axis causes rotation of the catch lever about this same axis.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.